I have a soft corner for cities that stand as a confluence of various cultures. The reason is simple though. A city where people from different corners of the world come and settle often transforms itself into a melting pot of diversity. No wonder why I cherish the time I could spend shooting on the streets of Calcutta , Varanasi or Mumbai.
It was just the last week, that I started researching about an offshore destination where I could find a similar essence clubbed with some intriguing adventure, fantastic sky-scapes and some relaxing me time. Hence without much ado , I crashed on Instagram and Tripoto for recommendations and options for my next travel destination. Several cities popped up in my mind's notebook as I scrolled through images and blogposts on my explore tab. But one city that stood out checking all my required points , was Macao.
Located on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong, Macao had been a Portuguese colony until 1999. Often regarded as the LAS VEGAS OF ASIA, , Macao serves a perfect mix of EAST and WEST. Here are some points that makes Macao, my next go-to destination.
1. Diverse Culture of Macao
a. The Ruins of St. Pauls : One of the most important cultural icons of the city , the ruins of St. Pauls , inherits the 17th Century Portuguese Architecture clubbed with Carvings by Japanese Christians. . Once regarded as one of the largest Churches in Asia, the St. Pauls has lost it's importance in its native culture but it still stands strong as an architectural Marvel.
b. A-ma Temple: Named after the Chinese Sea-goddess, Mazu, A-ma temple is one of the oldest in Macao and thought to be the settlement's namesake. The name Maca0 was thought to be derived from the name of the temple. It is said that when the Portuguese sailors landed at the coast just outside the temple and asked the name of the place, the natives replied Maa-gok or A-maa-gok (lit. "The Pavilion of the Mother"). The Portuguese then named the peninsula "Macao". Much like the inscriptions we find inside Ajanta-Elora Caves, or inside Konarak, A-ma temple houses many such Chinese inscriptions represented in paintings.
c. Mandarin's house: A historic residential complex built in 1869, Mandarin's house occupies an area of 4000 sq metres. It was built largely in Cantonese style but is noted for its fusion of western architectural elements. Sadly the house was destroyed due to a fire that broke out within the house and it took about 8 years to fix the entire house.
d. Senado Sqaure: The square was named after the Leal Senado, a meeting place for the Chinese and Portuguese in the 16th to 18th centuries, located directly in front of the square, where Leal Senado Building stands today. Senado Sqaure was particularly made as a meeting point for the traders and not as a meeting and relaxing place for the general citizens of the city. The Senado Square houses iconic structures like the Macao General Post office, Hotel Mercy, Senado's house etc.
e. Fortaleza do Monte: The fortress of our lady ( or Fortaleza do Monte) was built between 1617 and 1626 on the 52 metres tall Mount Hill, located directly east of the Ruins of St. Paul's. It was constructed to protect the properties of the Jesuits (mainly Portuguese Jesuits) in Macao, especially from pirates. Later, the Fortaleza was taken over by the Portuguese colonial governor and the relevant authorities for the defence of Macao.
f. The Museum of Macao: The Museum consists of two underground levels and a third located on the topmost level of the Fortress, where the former Meteorological Service was housed. The architectural character of the site and its particular configuration have been retained and preserved. The Macao Museum is a space dedicated to the history and culture of Macao, possessed of a vast number of objects of historical and cultural value , which demonstrate the way of life of the various communities that have inhabited the city for centuries.
g. Grand-Prix Museum: Grand-Prix Museum is a motor racing museum in Sé, Macao, China. It is co-located with and adjacent to the Macao Wine Museum. If you have a fascination towards Sports Cars and automated vehicles, this shall be a must visit place for you.
2. Cultural events in Macao:
a. Chinese New Year: Chinese New Year is perhaps the most happening festivals of Macao. It marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. The festival is usually referred to as the Spring Festival in mainland China, and is one of several Lunar New Years in Asia. The festival is celebrated with traditional Lion dance, Fireworks and many other interesting activities.
b. Macao International Fireworks Display : This particular event is very popular in the whole of Macao. It is a combination of a fireworks show and contest. There are three different contests that are held annually together with the fireworks display.
c. Dragon Boat Festival: Dragon boat, voluntarily organised by the community, was not an annual event in Macao’s pre-1979. Since then however, the activity has been promoted as an annual international dragon boat race. Athletic teams from different countries are invited to Macao to participate in this sports event enriched with traditional features. Dragon boat teams from Hong Kong, Japan, the U.S., the Philippines, China, Thailand, Singapore, Korea, Australia and Europe frequently participate in the races.
Macao is a home to many such wonderful festival. Some of which can be a fantastic photographic opportunity for street photographers like us. So in case you are planning a visit to this beautiful city try, you should definitely try to plan the same while these festivals are on.
3. Enjoy with your family:
Not everyone is a solo traveller. In case you are taking your family alongside , Macao offers enough options for your travel and relaxation.
1. Grand panda pavilion: Since Childhood I am a big panda fan. These cute little creatures have fascinated me ever since cartoons like kung fu panda started appearing on television. And a park dedicated totally to pandas is not something I can't afford to miss.
2. Ocean Kingdom Park: Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is a theme park situated in Hengqin, Zhuhai, People's Republic of China. This can be a fascinating option for children as well as for fun loving adults. Make sure you book your tickets in advance.
3. Hac sa Beach : One of the most interesting spots in Macao is the one kilometre long Hac sa Beach. The beach has black sand , something that I haven't seen till now. Talking about photographic opportunities, this can yield some unique results for sure.
4. NatureNam Van Lake: Naturenam Van Lake is one of two man made lakes in Macao. It is located at the southern end of Macao Peninsula. The lake was once part of a bay, created when the causeway partially closed off the bay. Located in the middle of the ever happening city life of Macao, NatureNam Van lake provides you an interesting relaxation space.
5. Water-shows of Macao: The House of Dancing Water is a water-based stage production. had been performed over 1,000 times and seen by over 2 million spectators. This has been a big draw for both tourists.
4. Adventure:
1. Bungee jumping from the Macao Tower: If you are looking for some exciting adrenaline rush, the Bungy jumping activity from the iconic Macao tower shall top your priority list. The AJ Hackett MacaoTower Bungee Jump is 233m / 764ft high, making this jump a Guinness World Record for the Highest Commercial Bungee Jump in the world.
The Macao tower also houses an observation deck that faces the wonderful skyline of the Macao city and also has the facilities of sky walk and sky jumping.
2. Skycap Cable Car: A fanciful dragon lifts you into the sky, affording a spectacular view of our iconic Performance Lake, before gently setting you down in a garden.
3. Hiking Trail : The Hiking trail across the Coloane island is not a very difficult trail and it comes with some fantastic results. The hiking trail that covers the entire stretch of Coloane island can be an interesting option for both families and experienced travellers and hikers.
ALONE TIME IN MACAO
1. The Casinos of Macao: There are now more than 40 casinos in Macao, from the gondolas and canals at the Venetian Macao to the world’s best water show at the City of Dreams. The city even has its own version of the Vegas Strip – the Cotai Strip. All though I am not a big fan of casinos, I would definitely look forward to visiting some of the notable names like the Venetian Casino Resort and the city of Dreams just to breathe in the vibes of the place and to experience the fantastic architecture that lies inside.
2. Shopping: Macao has developed itself into a shopping hub over the years. What less can you expect from a place that boasts of the tittle " VEGAS OF EAST". So once you are in Macao you cannot afford to miss the shopping harbours and bring back cashew cookies , peanut candies and some locally made Tee Shirts for your family back home. They are gonna love them for sure.
These were #20ThingsILoveAboutMacao. But for sure there are several other places and areas that are left to be explored in this fantastic city and now that I have made up my mind , you will get to see a lot of these in the coming blogs. So till you wait, you can participate in the ongoing competition hosted jointly by Tropoto Community And Macao Tourism which can win you a trip to Macao for three night and four days!